Battery



:11, 1947. Gg, w, JAMES 2,435,593

` y BATTERY Filed April 10 1,943

having a. trade name.iucite.

Patented Feb. 11, 1947 Gerald W. James. Sycamore, lll., assignor, by

mesne assignments, to Ideal Industries, Inc., Y Sycamore, Ill., a corporation of Delaware ApplicatlonAprii 10, 1943, Serial No. 482,581'

This invention relates to storage batteries, and has for its object to provide a new and improved device of this description.

'The invention has, as a further object, 'to

provide a storage battery of the wet type.

.'I'he invention has as a further object to provide a wet type battery with means for preventing the electrolyte from leaking 'out at either end of the casing.

The invention has as a further object to provide a wet type battery for various uses and which is particularly adapted to be used in connection with a flashlight. f

The invention has as a further object to provide an efcient, durable and self-contained wet battery which can be moved into any.desired and .necessary position.

Ihe invention has further objects which are more particularly pointed out in the ing description. a

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through one form of battery embodying the invention.

aGCOmpal'ly- Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the battery shownv in Fig. V1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. l.

Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the battery shown in Fig. 1.

. Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several figures. A

4 claims. ici. 13e-s) i portion of the length of theD casing. The elec- ;jecting -recessed portion II.

trolyte is absorbed by the glass wool which holds it in place and yet permits it to make -proper contact with the plates 2 and 3'.

The casing I is preferably 'provided with an integral bottom I0, which has arrinwardly pro- Screw threaded vinto this recess is a metal plug I3, which has an enlarged head I I' on the exterior of the casing, and which lits/tightly against the bottom of the casing when the plug is screwed into position.

'I'here is a positive stem Washer`l2 extending across thetop of the inwardly projecting recessed portion. There is 'an opening through vthe member I2 and through the plug I3, into which the lead 5 is received and is sealed tightly therein. This sealing may be accomplished in any desired manner. As herein shown, this sealing is done by means of a pitch seal I2a which is preferably applied in a hot condition so that it covers the end of the metal plug I3'and passes down partly therealong in the screw threads and has a sealing iit with the lead 5 to In the particular construction shown there is a casing I, which is preferably made of some plastic material which is transparent or semitransparent. One plastic material which gives very satisfactory results is methyl 'methacrylate, It is, of course, evident that the casing may be made of other material.

Within the casing are the plates 2 and 3, which are preferably of grid form; plate 2 being the negative plate and plate 3 thegpositive. plate. Connected with the plate 2 is the lead l, and connected with the plate 3 is the lead 5. Placed f within the casing and surrounding the plates is an absorbent material 6 for the electrolyte. This absorbent material may be, for example, glass wool. Located between the plates 2' and 3 is a separating device which consists of material not adversely affected by the electrolyte, which may be of rubber or wood for example.

As herein shown, this device consists of the central-piece I of rubber, having on opposite sides, the woven or felted glass mats 8. There is preferably a coating of wax 9 inside the casing I, extending from the bottom upwardly for a insure a complete seal and prevent the escape of any liquid from the casing i. There is also preferably a pitch seal Ida between the enlarged head i@ of the plug I3 and the bottom of the casing I.

The glass Wool 6 only partially lls the casing, there being at the top an empty space I5. Ex` tending across the casing in proximity to the top surfaceof the glass Wool is a Washer I6, the periphery of whichiits tightly against the inner surface of the casing I, through which the` lead 4 passes, preferably with a tight fit sealed by the sealing material IGa. This washer is provided with a series of openings I1 spaced around the washer' and located at a distance from its periphery (see Fig. 3), and is preferably provided with a hub portion I8. A funnel member I9 is located above the washer I6 and has a tight iit at the edges with the interior face of the casing I. This funnel has a central opening 20. and a projecting hub 20a provided with one or more projections 2|, which engage the hub I8 of the washer I6.

Mounted upon the lead 4, above the opening 2li in the funnel member I9, is a baiile washer 22, which has a tight non-leaking t with the lead 4, and which is somewhat larger than the opening 2li in the funnel member I9. The washer I6'. funnel member IS ..fand baiile washer 22. as hereinafter set out, prevent the electrolyte from'leaking out oi the casing when the battery is turned upside down. The casing I is open at the top and is provided with a cover 28 which is arranged to have a leak-tight connection with the casing I. This cover is provided with a central opening having interior threads, and there is a plug 24 threaded into this opening, which has an enlarged head 28 which engages the wall around the opening. The lead l passes through this plug and has a leak-tight connection therewith. l

Connected to the cover 28 by a leak-tight connection is a funnel shaped baille member 28, through which they lead 4 passes and which has at its end the opening 21. At one side of the opening in the cover for the plug 24 is another opening with internal screw threads into which is received a tube 28 having screw threads for engaging the screw threads of the opening. There is a washer 28a which is engaged by the enlarged end of the tube 28 so as to make a tight joint. This washer is of any suitable material such as rubber or Vinylite. This tube is open at the top and closed 'at the bottom, but has an opening 29 at a short distance from the bottom. Within the tube 28 is a second tube 38, which is provided with a passageway 3I4 extending therethrough. Water or electrolyte may be added to the casing by removing the tubes 28 and 88 and inserting the liquid through the opening thus produced. The liquid then passes through the opening 21 and into the funnel member 28 and through the openings '20 and 20h, and through the openings I1 into the space containing the 'glass wool 6.

If the battery is turned on its side, for example,

.the periphery portion of the washer I8 acts to prevent the liquid from running out. If the battery is turned upside down and there is any surplus liquid therein this liquid will pass through the openings I1 and -be stopped by the funnel washer I 9. If there should be sufficient liquid to fill the space between the funnel washer I9 and the washer I6 to a level beyond thel openings 2Gb, this liquid would then pass 'throughY the opening 28 andbe diverted by the Washer 22 so that it would pass in between the funnel shaped baille member 26 and the inner faceof the casing I, and thus be prevented from escaping from the oasing I. It there should be enough liquid to reach the opening 21 inthe member 28, this surplus liquid would pass into the interior of the funnel .shaped member 26 and would be held in the casing. If there should be suiilcient liquid to rise above the opening 29 in the tube 28, the liquid would then pass into the tube 28 and still be held in the casing by the tube 30. It will thus be seen that liquid cannot escape, but that gas from the casing can escape. out through the passageway 3l.

'Ihe positive plate is preferably larger in volume of material than the negative plate and is usually made 25% larger in volume.

4V lead, said washer provided with an opening extending therethrough at one side of said lead, 'a plate located above said washer and engagingthe inner face of said casing, said platehaving an enlarged opening through which saidrlead passes and provided with a projecting hub which connects with the washer, an opening intermediate the plate and the washer through which fluid may pass, a baille Washer located above the opening in said plate and larger in diameter than said opening, said baille washer fastened to said lead, and means above said baiiie washer for permittingr gas to escape but which prevents liquid from escaping when the battery is inverted.

2. In combination in a battery having a casing, positive and negative plates in said casing, a separating device for separating said plates, absorbent material surrounding said plates for absorbing a liquid electrolyte, a cover for said casing, a lead extending irom one of said plates through said cover, a washer extending across the casing above said absorbent material and surrounding and in sealing engagement with said lead, said washer provided with an opening extending therethrough at one side of said lead, a. plate located above said washer and engaging the inner face of said casing, said plate having an enlarged openingthrough which said lead passes and provided with a projecting hub which connects with the washer, an opening intermediate the plate and the washer through which iluid may pass, a baille .washer located above the opening in said plate and larger in diameter than said opening, said baille washer fastened to said lead, and means above said baille washer for permitting gas to escape but which prevents liquid from escaping when the battery is inverted, said casing lbeing provided with an integral bottom .which has an inwardly projecting hollow part with internal screw threads and having an opening therethrough, a plug having a screw threaded engagement with the screw threads 1n said projection, a lead from the other plate extending through said projection and said plug and having a sealed engagement `therewith, said plug being provided with an enlarged head which fits tightly against the exterior of said bottom and a laterally extending member positioned about said last-mentioned lead and sealed thereto, said laterally extending member overlying and being sealed to the inner surface of said inwardly projecting hollow member.

3. In combination in a battery having a cas- '\ing having a cover, positive and negative plates The terminal Lconstruction illustrated in the present application is claimed in my co-pending application Serial No. 555,286, led December 22, 1944, which is a division oi this application.

I claim: I

1. In combination in a battery having a casing, positive and negative plates in said casing, a. separating device for separating said plates, absorbent material surrounding said plates for absorbing a liquid electrolyte, a cover for said casing, a lead extending from one of said plates through said cover, a washer extending across the casing above said absorbent material and surrounding and in sealing engagement with said in said casing, absorbent material surrounding said plates for absorbing a liquid electrolyte, a lead extending from one of said plates through said cover, means for obstructing the passage of liquid from said easing when the battery is inverted, comprising a washer extending across the Vcasing at the upper end of said absorbent material surrounding and in sealing engagement with said lead and provided with an opening extending therethrough, a plate extending across said casing above said washer the periphery of which engages the inner face of said casing, said plate provided with an opening through which the lead passes and which is larger than the lead, a connection between said plate and said washer, an escape opening in said connection, a baille washer spaced above said plate and larger in diameter than the opening therethrough, said baille washer having an opening into which said lead tightly nts.

5 4. In combination in a battery having a casing. positive and negative plates in said casing,

absorbent material surrounding said plates for l absorbing a liquid electrolyte, a cover for saidy casing, a lead extending from one of said plates through said cover, two separate obstructing'devices for obstructing the passage of liquid from the casing through said cover when the battery is inverted, one of said obstructing devices attached to the cover and the other obstructing Ydevice comprising a washer extending entirely.

across the casing at the upper end of the absorbent material surrounding and in sealing engagement withJ said lead and provided with an opening extending therethrough, a, plate extending across the casing above said washer separated therefrom fby a, space, and having an enlarged opening through which the lead passes, which opening is larger than the lead, an escape opening connecting the opening in said plate with the space between said washer and plate.

GERALD W. JAMES.

6 REFERENCES crrnn The following references are of record in the tile, of this patent:

s'rA'rEs PATENTS OTHER lmzzriiutrzNCEs Quirk Directions Effective afg. 1,5, 1941, 1

page. (Copy in Division 60.,. c1ass 13B-6.3.) 

